“I note that Arabella Fahy, ICU consultant at Tallaght Hospital is quoted in Saturday’s Irish Times as hoping that some of the 17 new critical care beds announced by the HSE as part of its Winter Plan would go towards 12 additional ICU bedsAt the Tallaght hospital which “has been awaiting funding since the hospital secured planning for them 18 months ago”.
This raises profound questions about the utter failure of the HSE to increase ICU capacity since the Covid crisis started in March.
The Winter Plan for the entire country envisages an increase of 17 ICU beds.
How does the HSE explain its total failure to boost its ICU capacity about which it has been repeatedly warned over the last 3 to 4 years?”
– Senator Michael McDowell